For more than a century, the Cadillac name has stood solidly as the epitome of elegance, refinement, and precision engineering. The company logo, on the other hand, has been through some mighty changes over the decades. As you shop for a Sarasota Cadillac for sale, you may wonder how the luxury car logo came about and what it really means.
Cadillac's Humble Origins
Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, carmaker Henry Ford parted ways with several important investors, including Lemuel Bowen and William Murphy. At first, the pair intended to liquidate the abandoned Ford manufacturing plant and hired a local machinist named Henry Leland to appraise the plant and its contents.
Instead, Leland joined forces with Ford's former financial backers, and the Cadillac Automobile Company was born. The name, by the way, came from a notable French explorer who founded the city of Detroit some two hundred years prior. Whether Cadillac was the man's real surname or one that he invented in order to avoid military conscription is a question that remains unanswered, explains LogoRealm magazine.
The Early Origins of the Cadillac Emblem
When the first Cadillac motorcar rolled off the production line in October, 1902, its radiator bore a simple logo that merely noted the Cadillac name. By 1906, Cadillacs came with a fanciful crest that featured French crowns, a laurel wreath, royal pearls, and two trios of stylized birds. If you were one of the majority of Cadillac drivers who believed those birds to be ducks, think again. Although similar in shape, the birds that were predominantly featured on the Cadillac crest for many decades were actually European birds known as martins. Except when they were swans. We'll get to that in a minute.
Stripes of specially selected colors were also integral to the original Cadillac logo. The black stripes in the Cadillac crest were indicators of superiority, while the blue stripes stood for valor. The red stripes exemplified boldness, and gold stripes were included as a symbol of richness, according to NewsWheel magazine. This design and variations thereof continued to be one of the most recognizable and revered company crests for the remainder of the 20th century.
The Evolution of the Cadillac Emblem
As car styles evolved, so did the Cadillac emblem. In 1916, the six martin birds were replaced by a sextet of swimming swans which eventually reverted back to martins in the 1940s. In 1999, Cadillac ceased use of any birds on its ever-evolving logo.
Laurel wreaths came and went over the years, and occasionally, such as the emblems attached to Caddies manufactured in 1932 and 1938, had outstretched wings. Throughout the 1940s and into the '50s, the famed Cadillac emblem incorporated a large metallic V.
Cadillac Enters the 21st century
As the 1900s segued into the 21st century, Cadillac revamped its company logo concurrent with the introduction of the Elmiraj concept car. Inspired by the work of European artist Piet Mondrian, the newly streamlined Cadillac crest retains its heritage, but the crowns, laurel wreath, and various birds are gone. Whether they will return or not is anyone's guess.
Along with Coke, Nike, and Apple, the Cadillac logo is one of the most recognizable trademarks in the world. Synonymous with refinement and luxury, the elegant crest adds a level of bona fide authenticity to each and every Sarasota Cadillac for sale upon which it is installed.
Learn More About Cadillac at Our Used Car Dealership in Sarasota
Their logo may have changed over the years, but you can still count on Cadillac to deliver quality, good looks, and superior driving comfort. When you're ready to know more about the fascinating history of the Cadillac Automobile Company, or if you would like to schedule a test drive for yourself, visit Sunset Cadillac of Sarasota at 2200 Bee Ridge Road or contact us at (941) 312-2807. Locally owned, our Sarasota car dealership is open Monday through Saturday.
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